Letters to the Editor: Censoring California students about Palestine

The California Assembly is about to consider ACR 76, a resolution condemning “biased, hurtful and dangerous speech intended to stoke fear and intimidation.” Who could find fault with that? All of us should oppose hate speech. But ACR 76 is endorsed by organizations hoping to censor students advocating justice and equality for Palestinians. If ACR passes it will likely be used to pressure universities to engage in censorship, in violation of clearly established free speech rights. The U.S. Department of Education Office just dismissed complaints against UC Berkeley, Irvine and Santa Cruz that claimed criticism of Israel’s 46-year occupation of Palestinian lands is anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students. The DOE ruled that this criticism and activism is the “expression of views, words, symbols or thought” — in other words, free speech protected by the First Amendment, and not a civil rights violation simply because other students find it “personally offensive.” Many of us find the ongoing occupation and the unthinking support many Americans give to Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights the offensive behavior. I have already urged my Assembly representative to oppose ACR 76. Surely the Assembly can find a way to oppose true hate speech without infringing on free speech.

— Randall H. Lamb, Pasadena

Why blame a city’s racial problems on busing?

Alan Hardey in his letter of Aug. 29 says that Pasadena public schools weren’t segregated before busing. Does he deny Pasadena’s racist history? Why did the city shut down the Brookside Plunge (swimming pool) in 1941 when a court ordered it to admit African Americans? Why did Jackie Robinson say that Pasadena treated blacks even worse than the Deep South in some respects? Robinson graduated from Muir in 1937 long before court-ordered busing. He never returned to live in Pasadena. Hardey should read Dorothy Townsend’s famous April 1969 L.A. Times article, “Pasadena’s Crown City image tarnished.” White flight, urban blight and school problems preceded busing. Busing aggravated but did not originate Pasadena’s serious racial problems.

Hardey goes on to kick the PUSD. I don’t defend all PUSD administrative decisions, but I will stand up and salute the hard-working teachers and staff of my neighborhood school, Cleveland Elementary, any time. It costs more to educate poor children. Racism, classism and fear have been and still are factors in the declining PUSD enrollment. A rich city that lets its public schools decay and decline will reap a hateful harvest.

— Bob Snodgrass, Pasadena

Women’s Equality Day especially important now

Women’s Equality Day is a day proclaimed each year to commemorate the granting of the vote to women throughout the country.

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After 72 years of campaigning by a huge civil rights movement for women, the vote was accomplished in 1920.

The Aug. 26 anniversary was especially significant this year, as voting rights are being challenged in many states across the country.

Civil rights remains an issue, and not only for women. Women have still a long way to go to reach equality.

Fair pay and equity in governing are just two of the issues that beg women’s concern.

Today, women’s equality has grown to mean much more than just sharing the right to the vote. Women still must push against suppression and violence toward women, and against the discrimination and stereotyping that still occur in every society.

— Darby Mangen, San Gabriel Valley/Whittier Chapter, The National Organization for Women